• ATTENDANCE

     
     STUDENT ABSENCES

    If absent, students must bring a note from a parent/guardian to the Attendance Office (A119) explaining the absence. Students should NOT give the note to a teacher, dean, coach, bus driver, friend or anyone else. Upon returning to school, students have 3 days to turn in the note to the Attendance Office.

     

    The note needs to include:

    • the student’s first and last name, grade, and ID number
    • date(s) of absence and reason for absence
    • a parent/guardian signature and date of signature
    • phone number for verification

     

    The Attendance Office will maintain a sign-in sheet when students drop off notes.   Reminder: Signing the sign-in sheet is proof that a student turns in a note, so please be sure to sign every time.

     

    Once a student returns to school, he/she will be allowed 3 days to make up the missed work.

    Word to the Wise! 
    Just a reminder that if a student leaves early to go to an appointment, they must bring proof of that appointment (ie, Doctor appointment needs a Doctor's note) to turn in to the Attendance Office.
     
      

    EXCUSED ABSENCES
    Absences are excused for personal illness, sickness or death in the family, quarantine, weather or road conditions making travel dangerous as publicized by HISD, participation in school activities (maximum 5 per course, per semester) with permission of the principal, juvenile court proceeding documented by a probation officer, pre-approved college visitation, HISD-recognized religious holy days, and doctor or therapy appointments (a doctor’s note is required).

     

    Any personal illness absence that lasts 3 or more days requires a doctor’s note to be considered excused. 

     

    All other absences are unexcused.

     
     

    COMMON UNEXCUSED ABSENCES


    Car trouble, oversleeping, traffic, metro bus issues, being out of town, and trips not sponsored by HISD/Westside are all examples of unexcused absences. 
     
     

    TARDY POLICY

    A student is marked as TARDY if they arrive to class after the bell rings but within the first 20 minutes of class time. A student is marked as ABSENT if they arrive after 20 minutes of class time.
    Tardy Passes

     

    Students require a Tardy Pass to be admitted to class:
    • Students report to House Secretary to obtain a Tardy Pass
    • From 8:05-9:15 AM —Students report to the Student Support Center to obtain a Tardy Pass

     

    Note: Tardy students may not bring food/drinks to class.

     

    Consequences for Tardies
    • 3rd Tardy = 1 Lunch Detention
    • 7th Tardy = 1 Saturday Work Force + Behavior Contract + Referral to Campus Truancy Officer
    • 12th Tardy = In School Suspension (ISS) + Face-to-Face Administrative Conference

     

    Detention

    • Lunch Detention in S-100 Monday, Tuesday, Friday 11:39-12:09 in S-100 Wednesday & Thursday 11:13-11:43 in S-100
    • After-School Detention in S-100 3:20-3:50 PM Saturday Work Force Report to S-100 9:00 AM-12 Noon
     
     

    OTHER LATE ARRIVALS

      • When HISD buses arrive late to campus, students should go to the Attendance Office (A119) and show their Westside ID that has their current bus number to obtain an excused pass to class and MUST sign the sheet to have absences fixed.
      • Students arriving late on Metro buses are not treated the same as an HISD bus and are considered unexcused. Students who arrive within the first 10 minutes of class will report to the Student Support Center for a tardy pass. (ALL STUDENTS MUST HAVE AN ID TO RECEIVE A PASS).
      • Students arriving late from a doctor’s/dentist’s appointment must submit a medical note to the Attendance Office and will receive a pass to class. If the student doesn’t have a note, they will sign in at the Attendance Office and then go to the Student Support Center if during the first or second period of instruction for the day. For the remainder of the day (third instructional period and forward) students will go to their House Office for a tardy pass.
    LEAVING SCHOOL EARLY

    Students with an appointment should have their parent/guardian come to school to sign them out. Please allow sufficient time for the attendance office staff to get the student out of class.

    If the parent/guardian is unable to pick the student up or if the student drives themselves to school they may follow the below procedure:

    • Submit a note to the Attendance Office before 1st period on the day of the request. The note needs to include: the student’s first and last name, grade, ID number, date of the early dismissal request, time the student is to be released, reason for the dismissal, parent/guardian signature, and parent phone number.
    • The Attendance Office will:
      • Call to verify the note before the student is released.
      • Deliver a hall pass to the student, which enables them to leave class at the designated time to go to the Attendance Office to sign out.
      • Provide the student with a permit to leave campus. Students may only leave campus early after they receive approval from the Attendance office. This applies to all students – those who drive and those who are being picked up.

    Or

    • Parents may fax a note with the information indicated above to 713-556-5268 or by email to dtolopka@houstonisd.org at least one hour prior to requested dismissal time, if the student has no note and needs to be released without a parent. In accordance with school policy, we will not release any student unless their parent/guardian signs them out or we have verified the written request. 

    • Students who feel ill during school should ask the teacher for a permit and report to the Nurse’s Clinic (A121). The nurse will determine if the student should be released and will contact the parent or guardian. A parent may authorize a relative to pick up a student.  The person must be listed on school records or written authorization must be provided. Written authorization and a copy of the parent's ID can be faxed to 713-556-5268. 


    No student, including those 18 and older, may leave school without parental consent and without signing out at the Attendance Office.  Students who go off campus without consent are subject to disciplinary action, according to the HISD Code of Student Conduct. 

      

     
    ATTENDANCE APPEAL POLICY
    If absent too many times, students risk losing course credit, regardless of the academic grade they hold.
     
    Attendance Appeal Process
    • Obtain the Attendance Appeals Contract a from either the main office or house office.
    • Complete the Attendance Appeals Contract requirements. 
    • Submit the Attendance Appeals Contract (signed by the student and parent), the score report, and the report card by the deadline indicated on the Appeals Contract to the North 2 House Secretary.
     
    COLLEGE CAMPUS VISITS
     
    Students who need to leave school early or will be absent because they are visiting a college or university must complete a College Campus Visit Release Form (available in A205 or Attendance Office). Several signatures are required on this form so plan ahead. Forms must be completed and submitted to the Attendance Office 48 hours in advance of the absence. 
    HISD allows students to be absent from school two days during a student's junior year and two days during a student's senior year. An official letter from the college (printed on a college's letterhead) that verifies the campus visits must be submitted to the Attendance Office within 3 days of returning to school.
     

    VERIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT (VOE)
    Students need a VOE to acquire a driver’s permit or license. Students may request a VOE form in the Attendance Office (A119).  Please allow 24 hours for approved requests to be filled.
     
    Students will NOT be approved if they have missed more than 10% of classes in the previous semester. 
     
    Word to the Wise!
    The state mandates the requirements for issuing a VOE. Unlike our credit appeal policy, the school does not have flexibility or discretion where the VOE is concerned.  A student will have to wait until the next semester to demonstrate an attendance record that meets the requirements for the issuance of a VOE.